The ChatGPT Commencement Address

Inside Higher Ed

Josh Moody

June 29, 2023

As Wells College graduates gathered last month, President Jonathan Gibralter delivered a commencement address that sounded like countless others delivered across the country. It hit the usual themes: be prepared for challenges and setbacks, cultivate perseverance, and embrace opportunities.

But his speech culminated with a twist.

“Before I end this address, I wanted to let you know that everything I just said to you was written by artificial intelligence. I asked ChatGPT to write a commencement address from the president of Wells College to the graduates,” Gibralter revealed to a surprised audience.

“Why did I do that, and why am I telling you this? Because the world you are graduating into is changing very rapidly, and you have in front of you a world where electric vehicles will replace those powered by fossil fuels, a world where chat bots can replace the need for intellectual curiosity, a world in which some people reflect on their lives by the number of people who are connected to them on social media, a world where people may soon live in the metaverse, and the list goes on and on,” Gibralter told students, challenging them to stay intellectually curious.

Making the Point

In an interview with Inside Higher Ed, Gibralter said he had been reflecting on ChatGPT when he sat down to write his commencement address and became curious about what the program might propose. The speech generated by the artificial intelligence tool was fine over all, Gibralter said, but it lacked “the heartfelt message that I wanted to convey to our graduates.”

The president then crafted a message about thinking critically, reasoning wisely and acting humanely—drawing from the college’s mission statement. Above all, he encouraged graduates to pursue and cherish human connection.

“As you leave Wells College, remember that the connections I hope you will always seek out will be with other people in person and not with chat bots or social media sites or in the metaverse. You all have an opportunity to create your own path in this life and, the most meaningful path will be the path you take in relation to other people in your lives,” Gibralter said.

Over all, Gibralter sought to emphasize the importance of forging human connections—and the value of a liberal arts education—in an increasingly technologically driven world.

Gibralter wasn’t the only college president to tap ChatGPT for a commencement speech this season.

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